One such method or arrangement is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,305,359. There, an electronic accelerator pedal system is described, which recognizes an operational condition of the system critical to safety by a comparison of the accelerator pedal position and the actuator position, when, for example, the actuator is in its gas position and the accelerator pedal is in the idle position. Such an operating condition can occur when the actuator is jammed. In accordance with U.S. Pat. No. 4,305,359, the engine speed or power of the engine is reduced when the safety condition is recognized in that an aggregate influencing the engine speed of the internal combustion engine is driven in the sense of a reduction of engine speed. In this connection, the supply of fuel to the engine is interrupted. A disadvantage of this kind of procedure is that a failure of this safety function is not detectable and, in the safety situation for an open power actuator, the electronic accelerator pedal system can accelerate the vehicle uncontrolled notwithstanding active safety function.
A method for controlling the internal combustion engine in overrun operation is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,644,922 wherein, for detected overrun operation, the fuel supply is switched off above a limit engine speed which changes as a function of time. In this connection, the overrun operation is then present when the actuator or accelerator pedal is in the idle position.